Complicated surgical tool handles typically have crevices and recesses that are difficult to clean with relative ease without disassembly into separate component parts. Tool handles that are not properly cleaned and sterilized increase the risk of disease transfer from patient to patient. This is especially true following the emergence of certain “prions” that are not killed by normal hospital sterilization. A prion is a type of infectious agent made only of protein.
Further, in surgical procedures in which access to the treatment site is limited, it is difficult to use current solutions without subjecting the patient to repeated abrasion and tissue trauma when inserting and extracting surgical instruments.
Additionally, the insertion of a prosthetic implant is often problematic, and the orientation of the implant in a properly prepared recess is often critical to minimize recovery time of the patient. Still further, once the appropriate position of the tool is selected, it is often difficult to ensure that the position does not change upon insertion of the assembly through the incision.
It would be beneficial, therefore, to have an orthopedic tool handle that easily connects to a surgical tool, and that is readily adjustable, disassemblable, and cleanable. Additionally, it would be beneficial if the tool were partially disassembled for cleaning without the need to completely the component parts of the handle from each other. Further, it would be beneficial to have a handle that enables the surgeon to better maneuver and position a tool head to facilitate preparing a bone site to receive a prosthetic implant in a particular angular orientation.